Spotlight: Q&A Backstage with The Brook and The Bluff 

A conversation on their new album, upcoming tour and their Red Rocks debut

Many artists spend decades hoping to play a show at Red Rocks. The Brook and the Bluff got the show musicians spend their careers chasing for two sold-out nights—on just a week’s notice.

“This is literally the one stage that everyone who is doing what we’re doing wants to be on,” guitarist Alec Bolton said.

The Alabama-grown band is known for energetic performances and groovy sets, having toured with Mt. Joy, Ashe, and Rainbow Kitten Surprise. Yellow Scene Magazine (YS) sat down backstage with the band between their Colorado shows to discuss the Red Rocks debut, their upcoming album, and headliner tour

YS: Tell me about your first Red Rocks appearance – you must be coming off a high from last night.

Joseph Settine (lead vocals): We only had a week’s notice – it has been a whirlwind, really crazy. 

Alec Bolton (guitarist): It was yesterday and I still don’t really know how I feel about it. We keep seeing videos and saying ‘woah we did that!’ We were more nervous for that show than we have been in a while because of the gravity of the occasion. 

YS: What is your relationship with Mt. Joy and how has it grown over the years?

Settine: We toured with them in 2022 and bonded fast. They’re so generous – they bring us on stage all the time. Now we’ll even swap records when we’re making them.

Bolton: When they came through Birmingham, Sam texted Joseph and I asking if we wanted to come on stage since it was our hometown. 

YS: You have a busy schedule coming up – what are you looking forward to?

John Canada (drums): We purposefully didn’t tour so that we could focus on making an album, writing together, and recording. I feel like now we’re ready to really get back to touring and excited about our shows with the Avett Brothers. Red Rocks is a nice way to warm back up. 

YS: Tell us a little bit about the new album and the creative process.

Settine: We made a record that is like a live show. Our first three were much more crafting in the studio. For this one, we walked into the studio with everything ready. We played the songs hundreds of times before we even walked in. The goal was to have the same energy that we have playing on stage transfer to the record.

Bolton: There was more attention to the band as a whole – songs that would serve us as a group.

Canada: We got together every day for three months. Joseph would bring plenty of bangers, Alec would show us guitar riffs he wrote at 2 AM, and then me and Kevin would add our musicality. It was a cool process of building songs from the ground.

YS: On your latest EP, there’s melodies and riffs that had been in the works for years. Does the album include any old ideas or are they all fresh?

Settine: This is the first one where it’s all fresh. The EP was almost like closing that chapter.

YS: Would you say there is a theme throughout the new album?

Kevin Canada (keyboard): This is the most energetic album yet, which is going to be amazing for touring. After our shows, everyone always says ‘oh my gosh, the energy was much more elevated than the studio record.’ But now I think the studio record is going to set a new standard for the energy.

YS: I have to ask – do you have any special memories particularly in Colorado?

Settine: Obviously our first Red Rocks. I also think about our headline sets. Every time we come to Colorado, the shows are always memorable because everyone loves live music here – so much energy.

Canada: I remember a fan in Fort Collins handed out colorful hearts. During the show everyone held them up with phone lights. It looked so cool.

Settine: I keep one in my wallet.

Canada: We have had a lot of great shows in Colorado. But I remember one of the very first shows we did in Colorado was a So Far Sound show on Halloween at a house. We were new to touring, probably seven or eight years ago. We had no Halloween costumes, so we were all wearing potato sacks.From that to all the theaters we played along the way – Blue bird, the Ogden, the Boulder Theater – all the way to Red Rocks has been a sweet journey.

Canada: We love our fans here

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